Growthpoint Healthcare Property Holdings (GHPH), South Africa’s first property fund dedicated exclusively to healthcare and wellness real estate, has completed the development of the first Epione Health Village in Rosebank, Johannesburg, a flagship facility valued at approximately R100 million that introduces a new model of integrated, accessible and affordable healthcare to the country.
Co-developed by Growthpoint’s in-house development team and Epione, the first Epione Health Village marks the culmination of a partnership that began taking shape eight years ago. The project brings together GHPH’s capital and healthcare real estate specialisation, Growthpoint’s development expertise and Epione’s founding philosophy of doctor-led, patient-centred care that is both affordable and inclusive.
The Epione Health Village concept is built around a one-stop model — from GP consultation through specialist care, diagnostics and pharmacy — designed to make the access to healthcare simple, affordable and inclusive for patients across all social strata.
Garikai “Gazah” Govati, founder of Epione, says: “We identified Growthpoint as our partner of choice about eight years ago and explored this concept together. They have the experience, capital and expertise to build successful hospitals. Epione is a small project compared to others for Growthpoint, but the attention to detail, the skills and the expertise they provided to help us develop this project and bring it to life has been tremendous.”
GHPH, which is managed by the Growthpoint Properties (JSE: GRT) fund management business, Growthpoint Investment Partners, has grown a portfolio of R8bn assets under management, comprising hospitals, medical suites, pharmaceutical manufacturing and warehousing facilities, senior living communities and now the first Epione Health Village.
Farhana Russell, Fund Manager at Growthpoint Healthcare Property Holdings, says: “We are proud to be the healthcare property partner and developer that helped bring this vision to life. It represents exactly the kind of asset GHPH exists to help create, by providing capital and know-how. Epione Health Village is a purpose-built, thoughtfully designed healthcare offering that serves a real community need.”
The groundbreaking concept’s first site on Glenhove Road in Rosebank, near the bustling intersection of Oxford Road, is designed and developed to be a welcoming, continuous patient journey across two floors.
On the ground floor, an open-plan entrance faces directly out to the community, with a pharmacy and coffee shop at the threshold, followed by a concierge point and a primary healthcare corridor of 22 consulting rooms. These accommodate eight GPs, dental and optometry practices, clinical associates and a skin cancer centre of excellence staffed by dermatologists and specialist surgeons focused on melanoma and related skin conditions. In addition to an on-site pharmacy, an in-house laboratory offering histopathology and approximately 80% of the tests provided by major diagnostic providers completes the ground-floor offering.
The second floor houses an ambulatory surgery centre with 20 beds and two fully equipped theatres capable of handling a broad range of surgical cases across specialties. Additional clinical services include colorectal and endoscopy screening.
With its first health village, Epione has created a category-defining healthcare model for Africa, starting in South Africa: seamlessly integrated, accessible to everyone and constructed with remarkable attention to both clinical function and patient experience.
Govati has a healthy pipeline of more Epione Health Villages to be developed soon. “Healthcare requires a lot of compassion. It is the greatest expression of humanity. Walking into a space that is conducive to offering healthcare means the healing starts before you even see a doctor. We plan to offer more of these spaces across Africa.”